To ensure strict adherence with the BC Elections Act, as of April 1, 2017, our social media account will only be used for items that are statutory in nature or necessary for the health and safety of British Columbians.

The writ of election is issued on April 11, 2017, starting the provincial election period. We will be available to communicate with you again on May 10. Until then, if you need assistance, please contact Service BC at: http://ow.ly/IlOg309Ld0j

The BCAA and United Way of the Lower Mainland (UWLM) are once again working together to enhance the safety and well-being of children in BC. As a result, BCAA and UWLM are launching the Community Child Car Seat Program (CCCSP) 2017.

The CCCS Program is for non-profit community programs or programs that fall under a non-profit agency. An agency or community program that supports families with children under the age of nine are invited to apply for child car seats. Successful applicants will receive child car seats at no cost for use within their program and/or for distribution to families in need.

The Ministry of Education has partnered with the Early Childhood Educators of BC for a third year to organize a specialized StrongStart BC offering at ECEBC’s 2017 annual conference. StrongStart BC facilitators who attend the 2017 conference will be able to access customized professional development as well as opportunity for networking with other StrongStart BC facilitators from around the province. A couple of exciting changes to this year include online registration, choice of four different workshops for StrongStart BC facilitators, and a StrongStart BC facilitator networking lunch.

Through funding from the Ministry of Education, StrongStart BC facilitator registration fees will be subsidized up to $325 per person. The subsidy will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. Facilitators interested in attending the conference must register with ECEBC online at www.ecebc.ca, by fax (604.709.6077), or email (membership@ecebc.ca). Please review ECEBC’s conference fee grid on page 20 of their conference brochure. The brochure can be viewed at http://www.ecebc.ca.

To receive the subsidized registration fee, StrongStart BC facilitators must register for at least one of the four StrongStart BC facilitators’ workshops on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 (see page 20 of the conference brochure for the list)

The Ministry of Education is also prepared to offer a travel bursary to reduce the cost for school districts to send StrongStart BC facilitators to ECEBC’s 2017 annual conference. While bursaries will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, priority will be given to applicants from the Interior, the Kootenays, and Northern BC regions. Maximum bursary amounts for school districts from each region can be found in the table below. Please complete the attached application form and submit it to ECEBC at membership@ecebc.ca or fax to 604.709.6077 by March 21, 2017

The BC government has invested in a provincial access license to the Science of Early Childhood Development (SECD) multi-media resource.

This means professionals, parents, post-secondary students, and anyone within the province will have free access to evidence-based resources that help them understand child development and opportunities to support children to grow and thrive.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Education, Linda Larson, is asking for feedback from British Columbians and interested stakeholders on rural school funding and educational practices, as well as the role educational programs and schools play in rural communities across the province The goal is to create a Rural Education Strategy by the summer of 2017.

We would really appreciate your participation as well as the participation of parents and students in your communities. An online discussion is open until January 9, 2017 at 4pm, please join the conversation at: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/ruraleducation.

We appreciate your help in sharing this opportunity with parents in your programs, and hope that you will also consider contributing to the conversation to ensure the early years perspective is captured in the broader strategy.

If you have questions regarding this strategy or the engagement process, please contact Katie McLaughlin, Manager of Innovation and Early Years, at Katie.McLaughlin@gov.bc.ca.

Food Allergy Canada has launched its latest online course for early childhood care and education professionals. Developed with Leap Learning Technologies Inc. and in collaboration with the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the “Anaphylaxis in Child Care Settings” course is designed for early childhood educators/caregivers working within a variety of ECE settings.

As we continue to evaluate all aspects of the StrongStart BC early learning program with the help of a talented research team from the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development (OISE/University of Toronto), we need some help to encourage parents to share their experiences in the programs.

We are asking StrongStart BC facilitators to please share the following information with the parents in your program. The more robust the response, the better information we have to support and continue the fantastic work of StrongStart BC.

The Ministry of Education is working with a team of researchers from the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development (University of Toronto) to evaluate the effectiveness of the StrongStart BC Early Learning centres.

The study will inform the long term planning of StrongStart BC, and investigate the program’s impact on young children’s development and its impact on parents, caregivers, educators, administrators and the community.

All information collected will be kept strictly confidential. Please share your views to help make StrongStart BC even better.

Parents around the province can share their thoughts on how they want to keep track of their child’s progress from Kindergarten to Grade 9, thanks to a broad public engagement kicking off today.

The world is changing and British Columbia’s new curriculum is making sure the next generation of students have the skills they need to succeed in that changing world. With the introduction of the new curriculum, other parts of the education system will also be updated.

Student progress is reported in many different ways, including report cards, parent-teacher meetings and regular student/parent/teacher check-ins. Government is asking parents to share their thoughts on report cards and all types of progress reporting by visiting: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/yourkidsprogress before Feb. 28, 2017.

The input received from parents will help shape the information they receive and how they receive it starting in the 2017-18 school year. Additionally, the Ministry of Education is hosting 10 community meetings throughout the province so parents can offer their input in-person and ask questions about how reporting could work.

All feedback will be considered as a provincial student reporting approach is finalized, giving families a deeper understanding of their child’s progress through timely and comprehensive information. A summary report on what was heard during the engagement will be produced and posted online in June 2017.

There will be opportunities for parents to give input on progress reporting in grades 10-12 in the future.

Quick Facts:

Ten community meetings are being scheduled around the province, giving families the opportunity to talk to ministry and school district officials and participate in small, facilitated discussions.

These meetings are open to everyone, including parents and groups from surrounding school districts.

The Provincial Office for the Early Years has developed a communication bulletin which will share current projects, initiatives and news for the Early Years community. Click on link below to check out the first edition!